Now traffic police will click pictures of number plates of errant motorists

Apr 13, 2017, 15:40 IST
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Anurag Kamble

Traffic department advises its personnel to avoid getting into arguments with errant motorists; cops to click pictures of number plates for issuance of e-challans

Motorists often get into arguments with traffic cops. Representation pic

In the backdrop of a rise in attacks on traffic cops, the department has urged its personnel to refrain from getting into arguments with motorists. Instead, cops have been asked to click a picture of the number plate of the offender's vehicle and forward it to the Traffic Control Room for issuance of e-challans. The move comes at a time when penalties for traffic offences are being revised, which cops believe will increase attacks on traffic personnel.

The department, which has data of over 75% motorists in the city, hopes that this new alternative will help reduce assaults on cops following altercations.

There has been a significant rise in attacks on policemen over issuance of e-challans and penalties in recent times. Constable Vilas Shinde, from Santacruz traffic division, succumbed to his injuries last September after a minor motorist and his brother assaulted him when Shinde asked them to produce their driving licences.

Traffic constable Ganesh Ighe who was attacked in September last year

Confirming the news, a traffic department official said, "With the e-challan system, we have kept no room for motorists to escape action. But, every day, there are multiple instances of cops arguing with motorists when the latter refuse to accept that they are at fault. Cops struggle to explain their offences and often these situations get out of hand and lead to assaults on the policemen. In order to avoid this, cops have been advised to make optimum use of technology and refrain from getting into arguments."

The official added that the Traffic Control Room would act on the pictures of number plates clicked by the personnel. "Traffic personnel can upload pictures of the offenders and their number plates on the mobile app of the Mumbai Traffic Police (MTP) department using their individual phones. Officials at the control room will trace the motorists under whom the vehicle has been registered and send them e-challans. This is a foolproof method to prevent attacks on traffic cops."